Braised Beef Short Ribs made in the oven are a classic winter Dutch oven recipe. Rich beef short ribs are slowly braised in red wine until very tender.
Braised Beef Short Ribs: tender, succulent, fall apart beef that tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant (without the restaurant price)! It’s a one-pot, low and slow beef that looks fancy but is actually really simple.
The mashed potatoes soaking up that rich sauce is heaven. If you’ve never made beef short ribs, don’t be intimated. Following these steps will yield amazing results and sure impress your family and friends!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- Short Ribs in Oven: The oven’s slow and even cooking develops complex flavors and a tenderness like no other.
- Hands-Off Cooking: Once you've prepared the short ribs and placed them in the oven, you can largely leave them alone to cook, making it a convenient meal.
- Cost-Efficient: It’s tough to find this meal for less than $30 at a restaurant. I can buy enough for 4 people for $30.
- Restaurant Quality Meal at Home: The depth of flavors, scent and decadence of this dish feels like a 5-star restaurant meal!
What are Beef Short Ribs?
Beef short ribs are a flavorful and tender cut of meat that comes from the rib section of the cow. They are known for their rich, beefy flavor and marbling, which gives them a succulent and tender texture when cooked properly.
What is Braising?
"Braising" is a cooking technique used to prepare beef short ribs (and other tough cuts of meat) that involves slow-cooking the meat in a flavorful liquid at a low temperature for an extended period of time.
How to Buy Beef Short Ribs
Beef short ribs come in two primary cuts: English-cut and flanken-cut. For this recipe, we want English-cut which are individual bone-in pieces, resembling small beef steaks. Flanken-cut are sliced across the bone in thin strips of meat with several small, circular cross-sections of bone.
It's also important choose English-cut short ribs that are fresh, with a bright red color and have great fat marbling as this will help them to be more flavorful and tender after cooking. Also try to choose pieces that have a relatively uniform thickness to ensure even cooking.
Ingredients for Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
- Beef Short Ribs: A rich, melt-in-your-mouth delicacy that makes for one of the most decadent comfort food meals.
- Olive or Canola Oil: Contributes to the rich and savory flavors of caramelizing the beef.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms a thin layer on the meat's surface, which helps it brown more evenly and develop a deep, golden crust when seared. It also acts as a natural thickening agent for the braising liquid.
- Carrots, Onion, Garlic Cloves: These enhance the flavor, aroma, and complexity of the braised short ribs, making it more delicious and well-balanced. The carrots also provide a natural sweetness.
- Tomato Paste: Thickens the braising liquid, balances the richness of the beef with it's hint of acidity, adds color and an extra depth of flavor.
- Dry Red Wine: Adds a rich, complex flavor to the braising liquid, combines the flavors of the vegetables and herbs, helps to tenderize and beef as well as merry with the beef's flavor.
- Beef Stock: Infuses the meat with a deep, savory taste and creates an incredible gravy.
- Fresh Herbs (Oregano, Rosemary and Bay Leaf): Elevates the flavor, aroma, and presentation of the dish.
Tools You'll Need
- Large Skillet with a Fitted Lid
- Tongs
- Can Opener
- Wine Bottle Opener
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Quick Cup Slicer
How to Make Braised Short Ribs in the Oven
- Season ribs with salt, pepper, and dredge in ¼ cup flour (shake off excess).
- Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the ribs on all sides, then remove and set aside.
- Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and garlic 4-6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
- Add ¼ cup flour and tomato paste, cook 1 minute.
- Pour in wine, beef stock and return the short ribs and any juice. Scrape up any solid bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add fresh herbs on top. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake at to 350ºF for 3 hours. Remove herb stems from the top.
- Serve ribs over mashed potatoes or another side item, and top with gravy.
What Goes with Braised Beef Short Ribs
Braised beef short ribs pair wonderfully with a variety of side dishes. My family's favorite way is to serve them over my Whipped Mashed Potatoes. Add a dollop of creamy horseradish to the potatoes if you like that tangy, spicy complement to beef.
Vegetable side dishes that are also excellent pairings are Glazed Brussels Sprouts, Crispy Green Beans, Gremolata Asparagus and Easy Cooked Vegetables.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- Choose the Right Cut: Opt for bone-in beef, English-cut short ribs as they have more flavor and become incredibly tender during braising.
- Short-Rib Meat Substitutes: This dish is meant for English-cut short ribs, but this dish can also be made with cubed chuck roast, brisket, beef shank, beef stew meat, oxtail or chuck short ribs. When substituting with these cuts, keep in mind that cooking times may vary slightly based on the cut's thickness and marbling. It's important to adjust your cooking time and temperature accordingly, and always check for doneness by testing the meat's tenderness with a fork.
- Gluten-Free Thickener: If you need to thicken the sauce but are gluten-free, use cornstarch or a gluten-free flour blend instead of regular flour.
- Low-Sodium: If you're watching your sodium intake, use low-sodium beef broth and be mindful of any added salt in your seasoning.
- Fresh Herbs: If you don’t have fresh herbs, dried herbs can work, but use them sparingly as they are more concentrated in flavor.
- Aromatics: If you don't have onions or garlic, you can use shallots, leeks, or even onion and garlic powder as substitutes.
- Wine Substitutes: You can replace red wine with beef broth or stock, non-alcoholic red wine or beef consommé.
Storing and Freezing
After the beef short ribs have cooled to room-temperature, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached.
Leftovers can also be frozen in an air-tight, freezer safe container up to 2-3 months. When you're ready to use the frozen braised beef short ribs, thaw them safely in the refrigerator or using the cold water thawing method.
FAQs
The cooking time for oven baked short ribs can vary depending on the recipe, the size of the ribs, and the desired level of tenderness. However, a common guideline for braising beef short ribs in the oven is to cook them at a low temperature usually around 300-350°F for approximately 2.5 to 3.5 hours. My recipe calls for 350°F for approximately 3 hours.
The braised short ribs should not be covered until they’re ready to be placed in the oven.
A common guideline for braising beef short ribs in the oven is to cook them at a low temperature usually around 300-350°F for approximately 2.5 to 3.5 hours.
When braising short ribs, the liquid should only come halfway up the ribs. This recipe has 57 ounces of liquid.
It’s best to use a red wine that is robust, full-bodied, and has good acidity. These qualities will complement the rich and hearty flavors of the meat. Some red wine options that work well are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Shiraz/Syrah, Malbec or a red blend. You don't need to use an expensive bottle. A good-quality, moderately priced red wine will work just fine.
If you prefer not to use red wine or don't have any on hand for braising beef short ribs, you can use beef broth or stock, non-alcoholic red wine or beef consommé.
Yes. Follow steps 1-4 the same. Add the stock and wine, and scrape up any solid bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the mixture in the pan to a Crockpot. Submerge the ribs and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Time can vary with slow-cookers, so adjust according to model. The beef should be fall apart tender.
Other Beef Recipes
Braised Beef Short RIbs
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds beef short ribs
- 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
- ½ cup all-purpose flour divided
- ¾ cup chopped carrot
- ¾ cup chopped celery
- ¾ cup chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups dry red wine or substitute
- 32 ounces beef stock
- Fresh herbs: few sprigs each oregano, rosemary and 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Season ribs with salt, pepper, and dredge in ¼ cup flour (shake off excess). Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the ribs on all sides, then remove and set aside.
- Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and garlic 4-6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
- Add ¼ cup flour and tomato paste, cook 1 minute.
- Pour in wine, beef stock , and return the short ribs and any juices. Scrape up any solid bits from the bottom or the pan.
- Top with fresh herbs. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake 3 hours. Remove herb stems from the top.
- Serve ribs over mashed potatoes or another side item, and top with gravy.
Video
Notes
- Choose the Right Cut: Opt for bone-in beef, English-cut short ribs as they have more flavor and become incredibly tender during braising.
- Short-Rib Meat Substitutes: This dish is meant for English-cut short ribs, but this dish can also be made with cubed chuck roast, brisket, beef shank, beef stew meat, oxtail or chuck short ribs. When substituting with these cuts, keep in mind that cooking times may vary slightly based on the cut's thickness and marbling. It's important to adjust your cooking time and temperature accordingly, and always check for doneness by testing the meat's tenderness with a fork.
- Gluten-Free Thickener: If you need to thicken the sauce but are gluten-free, use cornstarch or a gluten-free flour blend instead of regular flour.
- Low-Sodium: If you're watching your sodium intake, use low-sodium beef broth and be mindful of any added salt in your seasoning.
- Fresh Herbs: If you don't have fresh herbs, dried herbs can work, but use them sparingly as they are more concentrated in flavor.
- Aromatics: If you don't have onions or garlic, you can use shallots, leeks, or even onion and garlic powder as substitutes.
- Wine Substitutes: You can replace red wine with beef broth or stock, nonalcoholic red wine or beef consommé.
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